amntrans AMNESTY HEARINGS 1999-10-25 PRETORIA 9 WIKUS JOHANNES LOOTS https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/hearing.php?id=53792&t=&tab=hearings https://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/amntrans/1999/99101228_pre_991025.htm MR VISSER Madam Chair, may I beg leave then to call the last witness, Brig Wikus Johannes Loots whose evidence has been marked Exhibit G. WIKUS JOHANNES LOOTS (sworn states) MR MALAN Thank you. EXAMINATION BY MR VISSER Mr Loots, you are also an applicant for amnesty in the present application, as it appears on the front page of Exhibit G, is that correct? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER Your application is in Bundle 2, page 176 to 202 and where you deal with this particular incident, is on page 180 to 181, is this confirmed by you subject to your evidence which you will deliver now? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER Do you confirm that you have also studied Exhibit A? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER Do you confirm the contents thereof in so far as you know? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER You had a particular knowledge of Botswana, are you able to specifically confirm the section which deals with Botswana? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER And in that regard, you have also on a previous occasion appeared before the Committee and placed a statement before the Committee, which now serves as Exhibit B in which you gave a setout up to 1988, of activities which had taken place from Botswana with regard to the political violence in the Republic of South Africa. MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER Amongst others weapon smuggling and so forth and so forth? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER Do you also confirm the contents of Exhibit B as true and correct? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER You have previously given evidence in amnesty applications with regard to the Nietverdiend 10, the so-called Silent Valley application and Pule and Take 5 and the McKenzie bomb incident, is that correct? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER And you request that that also be incorporated into your evidence? In Exhibit G from page 2, you have referred to what is now Exhibit B with regard to Botswana and what you had done in paragraph 6. You gave a summary of certain aspects of incidents of violence or aspects which was associated with this and there you have given 18 references if I may call them such, to serve as examples, is that correct? MR LOOTS I confirm that, yes. MR VISSER You confirm that? Do you also confirm with regard to the current incident, that it was an operation of Special Forces? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER And that you were asked to attend a meeting at Potchefstroom and to render assistance in so far as they needed it? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER And that Soweto's Commanders were also requested to be of assistance? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER Did you know the Source SWT180? MR LOOTS On occasion I had an interview with him Chairperson. MR VISSER Were you allowed by his handler to speak to him about his intelligence network? MR LOOTS Yes. MR VISSER Do you confirm the background with regard to the current incident and the meeting in Potchefstroom and whatever accompanies it as well as there were two attempts as far as you know, to kill the persons or some of them in Botswana as you have referred in your application? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER Do you confirm your political motive and how you regarded and experienced the struggle of the past as you have explained on page 8 of your amnesty application? MR LOOTS That is correct Chairperson. MR VISSER And consequently you request amnesty for conspiracy to murder and or attempted murder and any other offence of delict which might have been committed by you with regard to the current incident, is that correct? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER Thank you Chairperson. I beg your pardon, I have omitted to ask you something, I think I may have touched on it. Yes, I think I have touched on it, you were asked to be of assistance by Special Forces and you made a decision that the assistance will be rendered in so far as required from you or from members under you. That was a standing agreement between Special Forces which had been started from 1985 and the decision was taken, it was a standing ruling that Security Force would in a supportive capacity supply intelligence to Special Forces and indeed in the current incident there was an aspect which you gave assistance with and this was, there was apparently a problem with the entry into Botswana of SWT180, who was accompanied by two Potwa members of Transvaal, is that correct? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER And you gave instruction that they be allowed through at the border post? MR LOOTS For the information of the Committee, I would like to mention that with the arrival at the border post, there was an instruction by the Vehicle Branch of which we were not aware, that no Avis vehicle without authorisation could leave the country and for that reason SWT180 who at that stage was driving an Avis vehicle was delayed at the border post, and was assisted in his transport. MR VISSER In that you and your subordinates played a very minor role there? MR LOOTS That is correct. MR VISSER Were you familiar with the details of the operation? MR LOOTS I was aware that they would use explosives, but not of the detail. MR VISSER Thank you Chairperson. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS BY MR VISSER CHAIRPERSON I am not sure Mr Visser, whether you made him to confirm the contents of Exhibit G as a whole? MR VISSER Yes Chairperson. Mr Loots, you confirm the contents of Exhibit G, your affidavit, which serves before the Committee? MR LOOTS I do Chairperson. MR VISSER Thank you Chairperson. CHAIRPERSON Mr Lamey, do you have any questions to put to Mr Loots? MR LAMEY No questions, thank you. NO QUESTIONS BY MR LAMEY CHAIRPERSON Mr Steenkamp, any questions to put to Mr Loots? ADV STEENKAMP No questions Madam Chair. NO QUESTIONS BY ADV STEENKAMP CHAIRPERSON Mr Malan? MR MALAN No questions. CHAIRPERSON Mr Motata? ADV MOTATA None, Chairperson, thank you. CHAIRPERSON Mr Loots, you are excused as a witness. Mr Visser, I didn't come back to you to find out if you wanted to re-examine, because you questions emanated from Mr Lamey, Mr Steenkamp, nor from the bench. MR VISSER We have no re-examination thank you Chairperson. NO RE-EXAMINATION BY MR VISSER CHAIRPERSON Mr Loots, you are excused as a witness. WITNESS EXCUSED MR VISSER That is the evidence of the applicants for whom we appear Chairperson, thank you. CHAIRPERSON Thank you Mr Visser. We now pass the ball over to Mr Lamey, who is appearing on behalf of Mr Olifant.